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Indiana special session on abortion and inflation relief delayed until July 25

A window of a building across the street from the Indiana Statehouse shows a reflection of the Statehouse dome. The window also includes the words "Coming Soon."
FILE PHOTO: Justin Hicks
/
IPB News
A special session for Indiana lawmakers to consider inflation relief and an abortion ban was scheduled to start July 6. It will now get underway July 25.

Abortion will be legal in Indiana for at least another month.

That’s after state lawmakers’ work in a special session on inflation relief and abortion has been delayed until July 25.

The governor last week called a special session for July 6 to enact his inflation relief proposal that sends $225 to anyone who filed taxes in Indiana last year.

After the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling striking down abortion rights, the legislature was expected to include an abortion ban in that special session.

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They will – but not next week. In a statement, House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) said because of the increased agenda, “leaders are anticipating a multi-week special session versus one or two days.” For logistical reasons, he said, they decided to hold off starting their work until the last week of July.

The Indiana Democratic Party accused Republicans of “waiting for the dust to settle” in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s ruling before trying to ban abortion.

In the meantime, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita wants several state anti-abortion laws to take effect after they'd been blocked in court.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

Brandon Smith has covered the Statehouse for Indiana Public Broadcasting for more than a decade, spanning three governors and a dozen legislative sessions. He's also the host of Indiana Week in Review, a weekly political and policy discussion program seen and heard across the state. He previously worked at KBIA in Columbia, Missouri and WSPY in Plano, Illinois. His first job in radio was in another state capitol - Jefferson City, Missouri - as a reporter for three stations around the Show-Me State.